The more I think about this proposal, the more I question this increase;
“Our system is more than 90 percent full. It will be 100 percent full most likely in the next two years before we can open a new parking ramp,” said Darrin Smith, Sioux Falls Community Development Director.
Projects like the new ramp cost money. That’s why the city is proposing a rate change in Downtown Sioux Falls.
WOW! Where do we begin?
• We tear down a parking ramp that was useful and sell it for $1.
• We are going to be 100% full in two years yet the parking ramp the city is paying for is for a private hotel and apartments, with only about 3-5% useable by the public.
• The city will be leasing the parking ramp to these private entities. Shouldn’t that lease payment cover the bond payments? If not, why not? What is the benefit to the public to build a private parking ramp that the public can’t use most of the time and make us take care of the short fall on the bond payments?
This whole thing stinks to high Heaven, and I hope the council removes their heads from their asses and votes this increase down and demands the parking department adjust the lease payments to cover the bonds, or better yet, make the PRIVATE development build their own damn parking ramp. Let free enterprise work for itself, otherwise it’s just parking socialism. Maybe we should call it ‘Obama-park’?
If you’re referring to the Banks project, i thought that hit a potential snag, and as yet is not a done deal. I recall Christine Erickson liked the plan because developers sold her on the concept of lofts ranging in the 800 to 1000 dollar a month range. That WILL turn out to be just another lie. Like so many we hear from TIFfy developers.
Why do they want to build a public parking ramp on a private building? That’s easy to answer.
It’s a public to private funnel of money, above the table and right out in the open.
Nothing new about this. Look at the landscaping the taxpayers purchased for Cherapa building.
And trust me, I took issue with that, especially since that deal was etched with Munson, and Jeff threatened to sue the city if they didn’t follow through. Then we turn right around and do the same for Raven, then they lay off a bunch of people.
Parking rates and fines is why I don’t go downtown. Seems to me that promoting downtown must include free and convenient parking. The cost of enforcement is more than the revenue. Meter cops, Sedgeways, new style meters, maintenance, and not being able to prosecute (Home Rule) cost more than revenue. Give it up and you’ll see more sales tax revenue.
Make me mayor and I’ll cut off all meters at the base on the first day. I’m kinda disabled but shouldn’t be hard to find volunteer help.
D@ily – DT is THE neighborhood for entire city to enjoy and it has more parking per acre than any other. Pricing is information. Giving it away for free is socialistic. You don’t strike me a Socialist. You’d let the cost to USE public infrastructure for private gain from keeping you from connecting with your community? Compared to all other uses DT, parking has THE lowest rent. That is the most unproductive use of the most economically valuable land in the state. You might want to get acquainted with the economics of parking to better understand the high cost of free parking…
http://freakonomics.com/2013/03/13/parking-is-hell-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/?utm_content=buffer40fbd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer